The battle for statues, axes and jugs kicks-off this weekend
SEVEN weeks after the season officially started some of college football’s most famous teams will finally take the field this weekend.
The Big Ten Conference had, in August, cancelled its 2020 season seeing no way football could be played amid the coronavirus pandemic.
That would have seen teams such as the Ohio State Buckeyes, beaten semi-finalists last year, sitting out and fixtures such as the Paul Bunyan game cancelled.
That sees a four-foot wooden statue, named after the legendary lumberjack, presented to the winner of the University of Michigan Wolverines versus Michigan State Spartans game.
The Wisconsin Badgers and Minnesota Golden Gophers play for his axe in another of the traditions that make up the rivalries of college football in the conference which has its roots in America’s Mid West.
But once the season got underway at the start of September the Big Ten could hold out no longer.
Officially the decision was made due to changing medical advice but critics believe a fear of falling behind rival conferences swayed their judgement in favour of a return to play. Once the Big Ten announced it would play from the end of October the only other Power Five conference holding out, the Pac-12, also began discussing a start date, now scheduled for November 7.
Big Ten games will add some familiarity to a season that has been played in the shadows of Covid-19. With the virus gathering pace in America games have been cancelled, or at least postponed, every week and there is uncertainty that teams, including those kicking-off this weekend, will be able to complete their seasons.
Without the Big Ten the college football palette would be missing the US Rust Belt. While the SEC provides Saturday afternoons in bright technicolor, such as today’s match up in Knoxville between number two Alabama and a fast faltering Tennessee, to see players’ breath on cold autumn nights requires games in the north.
And those games have their own place in the history of college football such as tonight’s prime time game that sees the University of Michigan Wolverines travel to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers for the Little Brown Jug.
Recognised as the oldest trophy game in college football the prize dates back to a 6-6 tie in 1903 when Michigan coach Fielding Yost feared his team’s water supply would be tampered with so bought a cheap jug which was either left behind, or forgotten, when the game finished.
When it fell into the hands of the Minnesota players it was painted brown and the score added to it – and both teams have been fighting for possession since.
Though Michigan leads the series overall, by a wide margin, and are ranked 18th they will face a Minnesota team, ranked 21, that is seen as on the rise and which won 11 games and lost just two in 2019.
They are inspired by fourth year head coach PJ Fleck whose “row the boat” catchphrase is the mantra behind a team spirit among the Gophers who won the last of their seven national championships in 1960.
Michigan won nine and lost four last year and are led by head coach Jim Harbaugh a star quarterback at the university in the 1980s. His tenure at his alma mater, after leading the San Franciso 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl, has been marred by a lack of a standout talent in his former position.
But there are high hopes for Joe Milton who has a cannon for an arm but is unproven though he was a part of the football team last year. Minnesota have an experienced Junior, or third year, QB in Tanner Morgan.
That both teams are ranked shows the traditional power of the Big Ten but also how college football can favour the Power Five conferences.
Though the AP Poll is including teams that have yet to play in its rankings the UK and Ireland poll is only ranking those teams whose seasons have started but after this weekend’s games expect to see some changes in the Top 25.
This week’s UK televised games
BT Sport ESPN
Saturday, October 24
2pm College GameDay
5pm North Carolina State @ North Carolina
8.30pm Alabama @ Tennessee
Midnight Michigan @ Minnesota
Sunday, October 25
BT Sport 3
2am Cincinnati @ SMU
Main image: @GopherFootball
NewsatTwm 